Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-06-27
A NATTER OF LOCAL CONCERN


a NATTER OF LOCAL CONCERN.
Objection is made by property owners on
Mstreet, the capital avenue of the city,
who protest against Improvement, that
people are interesting themselves in favor
of Improvement who do not own property
on that street. This supposed "interfer-
-enee is resented with more or less spirit
1t is not meddling;" it is not interior
ing with another's business" it is not an
attempt to dictate to people how to man
age their own property, but it is an evil
dence of public spirit and of profound in
te=est in the city. The property owners
on NJ street should not run away with the
idea that they own the highway, and that
none but they are interested in its i'm
provement. Every man who desires the
progress of the city to be promoted has
the right to speak his mind concerning the
improvement of any street. and to advise
it and canvass for it. The mere method
VI ehS niNio1Vi vi llc COSt vi local IN
provemcnts throughout the city, is secon-
diary to the general interest. The object
ing owners on NJ street ought to be able TO
see that their property interests have been
enhanced in value by the improvement of
i and \ streets and Tenth street, and all
other improved streets in the city, and
that all the people have an interest in
every effort TO benefit the city. Ii is
greatly to be regretted that so many N
street property owners are opposed to i'm
proVement. They stand in their own light
Every such Improvement not only en-
hances the value Of their own property,
but it stimulates the business and pros
perity of the city and thus contributes to
the business welfare of these lot owners
In fact, no local improvement can be made
and the beneficial effects be confined to the
immediate locality. There ought TO be no
difficulty in securing the improvement of
NJ street; the failure of the scheme will
be a blow to the city, and give the new
spirit OF progress a setback that will
affect all interests. Let those who have
signed the protest reconsider, and before it
is too late withdraw their objections. and
thus give important aid to the effort to Sc
cure for this city due share of the pros
porous tide now sweeping upon the north
section of the State.
Let these people reflect that there is
quasi contract with the State that this
avenue, upon which magnificent building
costing sS,o00s00o fronts, should, with all
surrounding streets be made to comport
with the building and its grounds. The
State has paid its half for improving /, \
and Tenth streets. and the money is in the
Treasury for lis half of the Fifteenth street
Improvement With what conscience can
the State be met if now the people refuse
TO act in like spirit Let these citizens
reflect that while just now the street looks
its best, the great mass of visitors come
here-aeeing from eastern winters-wben
IL looks Its worst, in our winter and sprin@
Seven-tenths of them drive or walk TO the
Capitol and then the Art Gallery. and the
bad condition of NJ street is the one
thing escorting committees seek to keen
from their view. Let these people reflect
that because NJ street is Capital Avenue.
and bears such an important relation to
the whole city and to the State property,
IS an unanswerable reason why others than
those owning property on the street ieel
profound and take an active interest in
the proposed Improvement.
Some of the directors to improvement
reply, The property is mine, / am satisfied
that things shall remain as they are. and
IT is the business of no one else Have
such citizens knowledge of what is going
on by way of town improvement elsewhere
in the State? Do they know that famili-
arity of the sight with local neglect dulls
the sense to ofenses that are hideous in
the eyes of people we are striving TO To-
cate here in order to promote industry eu-
large investment and build up the CITY !?
DO these gentlemen and ladies entertain
no sentiment OF duty due on their part 10
their fellow-citizensg They have not The
moral right-f they reflect they will real
lie ito stand in the way of the advance
ment of the city where they have made
what they have. Unfortunately mos, of
the directors are those who are compara-
lively rich, well-to-dc and are the last
men and women in the world to oppose
improvement in Sacramento. where they
have made what they have. The com
plant that some are poor is not well put.
since the enhancement of values by i'm
proFenent viii far exceed the cost Of grad
ing and grayeiing, and there stand ready
public-spirited men to take "the ehancesa
50 to spes4 for them, without interest for
a long ter'a. if they have any doslbt them
selves as to the appreciation of values.
We learn that obIection is made that
public work viii cost double the sum for
which il can be done by private enterprise
and tiiat the pgetestants, By resolution
announced Themselves as favorable to
the latter method. Examination Of
the facts prove thas this plea is
The Street Commissioner
has in other cases, and can 20 the work
cheaper than it can possibly be done block |
by block by owners; and, moreover, it
must, IN any event, be done as by law t..-o-